National Opens - 2025

[billyspan]

Back by unpopular demand! Please let me know what I need to fix.

 

1/26 - Philippine Open - 1913

2/23 - Kenya Open - 1967

2/23 - Mexico Open - 1944

3/2 - South African Open - 1903

3/2 - New Zealand Open - 1907

3/2 - Argentina Open - 1905

3/30 - Indian Open - 1964

4/6 - Brazil Open - 1945

4/20 - China Open - 1995

5/4 - Peru Open - 1953

5/11 - Turkish Open - 2013

5/11 - Zimbabwe Open - 1979

5/25 - Belgian Open - 1910

6/1 - Austrian Open - 1990

6/1 - Korea Open - 1958

6/8 - Canadian Open - 1904

6/8 - Dutch Open - 1912

6/15 - United States Open - 1895

6/29 - Italian Open - 1925

7/13 - Scottish Open - 1972

7/20 - British Open - 1860

7/20 - Colombian Open - 1945

9/7 - Irish Open - 1927

9/14 - Portugal Open - 1953

9/21 - French Open - 1906

10/12 - Spanish Open - 1912

10/19 - Japan Open - 1927

DEC TBD - Australian Open - 1904

DEC TBD - Mauritius Open - 2015

TBD - Danish Open - 1991

TBD - Finnish Open - 1988

TBD - Saudi Open - 2015

TBD - Thailand Open - 1965

TBD - Venezuela Open - 1957

TBD - Chile Open - 1927

[mat562]

Many thanks.

 

Sadly neither of my countries has an open. Bah.

[billyspan]

6 hours ago, mat562 said:

Many thanks.

 

Sadly neither of my countries has an open. Bah.

There are quite a number of defunct national opens (sadly).  English Open, Welsh Open, German Open, Jamaican Open, Costa Rica Open, Panama Open, Kazakhstan Open, Russian Open, Singapore Open...just to name a few.  Some with longer legacies than others. 

The Swiss Open became the European Masters.

 

I struggled adding the Belgian Open (Soudal Open), Dutch Open (KLM Open) - they do reference the original event history and have the original trophy.

 

Interestingly, Germany, while not having an "Open" has a "German Closed" - I believe for German citizens only.  I have found a few other countries than have "Closed" events.

Thanks for participating @mat562

[mat562]

I attended an English Open in my mid-teens. Mark James beat Sam Torrance at the Belfry. It's a shame that event died a death. It was a very different climate back then, though. The European Tour still boasted a number of events in Britain, and it was before the era of really big money. Crikey, it was even broadcast on the BBC...

 

A Norwegian Open would be fantastic. Imagine a decent field having a knock around Lofoten Links with a bit of a draught. I'd pay money to see that.

Edited January 22 by mat562

[PedronNiall]

On 1/22/2025 at 6:27 AM, mat562 said:

Many thanks.

 

Sadly neither of my countries has an open. Bah.

 

Just because you're out there ruling the world literally doesn't mean you have to lord it over the rest of us =(

[mat562]

On 1/24/2025 at 4:15 PM, PedronNiall said:

 

Just because you're out there ruling the world literally doesn't mean you have to lord it over the rest of us =(

 

The only thing I rule these days is the time my dogs get fed.

[mat562]

It's sad to see how many national opens have disappeared, or at least how many are now minor league affairs that only attract a 'local' or particularly determined field of players. A lot of open-less nations are ones which now have a pretty strong golfing base at amateur level and more than a few pros pegging it up on major tours around the world.

 

I'm an adherent to the old school way of thinking that says that a national open is a fairly prestigious event that carries a bit of clout if you can say that you hoisted the trophy. More cachet than winning the B&M Bargains Classic, certainly. I know professional golf has changed a lot over the years, but players like Peter Alliss and Roberto de Vicenzo used to perk up a bit and glow with pride when they discussed their wins in various national opens. I think it's a shame that corporate sponsorship means that the cachet of a host nation's nominal zenith event is dropped in favour of the sponsor selling a few more photocopiers or cars.

 

 

Edited January 25 by mat562

[ColinKelvin]

On 1/22/2025 at 6:15 PM, mat562 said:

I attended an English Open in my mid-teens. Mark James beat Sam Torrance at the Belfry. It's a shame that event died a death. It was a very different climate back then, though. The European Tour still boasted a number of events in Britain, and it was before the era of really big money. Crikey, it was even broadcast on the BBC...

 

A Norwegian Open would be fantastic. Imagine a decent field having a knock around Lofoten Links with a bit of a draught. I'd pay money to see that.

I remember watching a James v Torrance showdown at the Belfry on TV back in the day - they both had identical-looking broomstick putters anchored under the chin, and were wearing identical-looking massive, baggy brown trousers. It was quite odd.

[mat562]

24 minutes ago, ColinKelvin said:

I remember watching a James v Torrance showdown at the Belfry on TV back in the day - they both had identical-looking broomstick putters anchored under the chin, and were wearing identical-looking massive, baggy brown trousers. It was quite odd.

 

Torrance had one of those hideous, all black Wilson jobs, but James had a regular-length Ping B60 back then, I think. In the words of the youngsters, I was there...

 

 

 

 

[PedronNiall]

8 hours ago, mat562 said:

It's sad to see how many national opens have disappeared, or at least how many are now minor league affairs that only attract a 'local' or particularly determined field of players. A lot of open-less nations are ones which now have a pretty strong golfing base at amateur level and more than a few pros pegging it up on major tours around the world.

 

I'm an adherent to the old school way of thinking that says that a national open is a fairly prestigious event that carries a bit of clout if you can say that you hoisted the trophy. More cachet than winning the B&M Bargains Classic, certainly. I know professional golf has changed a lot over the years, but players like Peter Alliss and Roberto de Vicenzo used to perk up a bit and glow with pride when they discussed their wins in various national opens. I think it's a shame that corporate sponsorship means that the cachet of a host nation's nominal zenith event is dropped in favour of the sponsor selling a few more photocopiers or cars.

 

 

 

I'm guessing not all of these Opens guarantee a path into larger Ams or any pro events any longer, correct? 

 

If all the RBs went in on ensuring the national opens everywhere were a direct way into at least one tournament of note like the US, Latin American, Asian Pacific, or The Amateur, etc., or a known professional tournament, no doubt that would help. Only a handful get international broadcasts and coverage on top of not being a one-off stepping stone to the "big show", so not a surprise they aren't all viewed with the same prestige as they once were. 

[Duct Tape]

22 hours ago, mat562 said:

 

The only thing I rule these days is the time my dogs get fed.

They do let you know if you’re late, don’t they?  😀

[billyspan]

On 1/25/2025 at 5:11 PM, PedronNiall said:

 

I'm guessing not all of these Opens guarantee a path into larger Ams or any pro events any longer, correct? 

 

If all the RBs went in on ensuring the national opens everywhere were a direct way into at least one tournament of note like the US, Latin American, Asian Pacific, or The Amateur, etc., or a known professional tournament, no doubt that would help. Only a handful get international broadcasts and coverage on top of not being a one-off stepping stone to the "big show", so not a surprise they aren't all viewed with the same prestige as they once were. 

Here are a few of the more prominent exemptions for the winners of the national opens (please correct me where I am incorrect/out of date) - 

 

British Open - British Open exemption until age 55, 5-year exemption into the Masters, British Open and US PGA Championship, 5-year exemption for PGA Tour and EURO Tour

U.S. Open - 10-year exemption into U.S. Open, 5-year exemption into the Masters, British Open and US PGA Championship, 5-year exemption for PGA Tour

Canadian Open - Invitation to the following year's British Open

Japan Open - Invitation to the following year's British Open

Italian Open - Invitation to the following year's British Open

Scottish Open - Invitation to the following year's British Open

Dutch Open (KLM) - Invitation to the following year's British Open, part of 4-event European Qualifying series for U.S. Open (top-10)

Korean Open - Top two non-exempt players earn entry into the British Open

Australian Open - Top three non-exempt players earn entry into the British Open

Argentina Open -  Invitation to the following year's British Open

Malaysian Open - Invitation to the following year's British Open

Belgian Open (Soudal) - part of 4-event European Qualifying series for U.S. Open (top-10)

Mexico Open - 

Spanish Open - 

French Open - 

New Zealand Open - 

 

Edited January 27 by billyspan
typo

[billyspan]

The Korean and Belgian (Soudal for sponsorship reasons) Opens are being played this week.

 

Adding the following National Opens to the 2025 slate.  Welcome back!

 

6/8 - Zambia Open

8/31 - Indonesia Open

11/9 - Singapore Open

Edited May 22 by billyspan

[Mr.Cleeks]

This is an awesome list. Huge fan of the national opens. I wonder if any pgat players will play the Japan open since it’s a week after the pgat event in Japan

[Peak]

Finnish Open is nowdays part of the Nordic Golf League, which is a satelite tour for DPWT.

 

This year it’ll be played 21-23 of August at Peuramaa on the Porkkala course.

https://danish.golf/ecco-tour/livescore/#/competition/4827144/info

 

I live about 30 minutes from the course. It’s got quite a bit of water on the front 9 and the last 6 holes go up and down what is during winter time (on the other side of the hill) a ski center. A very small ski center but a ski center nonetheless.

Edited May 24 by Peak